Independence Party U.S. Senate Candidate Announces Support for PolyMet

The Independence Party's candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota announced his support for a proposed copper nickel mine on the Iron Range.

Kevin Terrell spent the last six weeks talking to stakeholders and visiting the proposed PolyMet mine site before declaring his support. At a press conference on Thursday, Terrell says he decided he supports the project for two reasons: Polymet has offered up-front money to protect against any environmental damage and their ability to provide good-paying mining jobs.

"Polymet has projected that it will be profitable, with copper prices quite a bit lower than they are now, and there's an awful lot of extra money at stake there. We think the community should share in that, workers should share on that," Terrell said.

Terrell is vying for Sen. Al Franken's (D-Minn.), who says he supports the project as long as taxpayers are protected from paying any cleanup costs.

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